This Islanders forwards stays hot in first Olympic game

Team Canada made a statement in their first game of the 2026 Olympics Men's Hockey Tournament, beating the Czech Republic 4-0. One of the goals belonged to the New York Islanders own Bo Horvat. At the 17:26 mark of the second period, Brad Marchand found Horvat in the neutral zone, and he darted down the ice. As he approached the crease, he slipped a backhanded shot through Lukas Dostal five hole to give Canada the 3-0 advantage.

This should not just make Team Canada fans happy, but New York Islanders fans. It shows that taking off the past few games has not stopped his hot streak. It also does not seem like he will need an adjustment period to get used to playing with his new teammates. But will he be able to keep this up for the rest of the tournament, and will he be able to keep it up when he returns to Long Island?

Bo Horvat looks to be an important piece of Canada's offense

Heading into the Olympic break, Horvat was one of the hottest players. In the eight games he played since returning from injury, he has racked up three goals and four assists for seven points. During this stretch, he had a three-point performance against the Penguins, including the game-winning goal in overtime. Despite some concerns that Horvat was rusty after missing 14 games, this performance shows those concerns may have been premature.

If Horvat is able to continue putting up strong offensive performances, Canada will be a hard team to beat. Horvat was the fourth-line center against the Czech Republic and was not expected to be an offensive contributor. But if he continues to find the back of the net, this will help Canada have one of the deepest offensive attacks in the tournament. Having each line score be a threat to score a goal will make Canada's path to the Gold Medal much easier.

Not only will Horvat's play help Canada, but it should also help the Islanders during the stretch run of the season. If the Islanders want to make it to the playoffs, they are going to need Horvat to be in his top game. They will need him to drive the offense and perform as he did against the Penguins. Having a strong Olympic performance will give Horvat confidence. It will allow him to play high-intensity hockey and get a feel for what it's like. This experience will be crucial as it's the type of hockey the Islanders will play for the rest of the season.

Although it was only one game, fans of Team Canada and the Islanders have to love what they saw out of Horvat. He could be the key piece that helps both teams find success this year.